Last Updated: March 15, 2023
We are thrilled to announce that Transport Canada has officially approved the importation of the Widescape WS250!
We will begin to ship out units to dealers starting today. Your Widescape dealer is your main point of contact for all information on deliveries.
Commercializing a new product can bring many challenges, even more so when the product defies the norm. This process hasn’t always been easy and we truly appreciate your support and understanding throughout these past weeks. Your patience and trust in our team have been instrumental in helping us overcome this challenge.
February 28, 2023
We are pleased to inform that Transport Canada officials have approved our revision to the WS250’s occupant support system. Our team made the necessary adjustments to comply with Transport Canada’s requirements by adding a seat cushion, positioned at the back of the WS250’s riding platform. This alteration does not affect the vehicle’s riding position, driveability, or overall functionality.
Despite this positive development, Transport Canada officials have identified subsections of certain standards for which we are required to submit additional documentation to demonstrate that the WS250 is compliant.
The additional proof of compliance for these standards will be sent by the end of this week. We are hoping for a quick return from Transport Canada and we anticipate the release of units by mid-March. Please keep in mind the time required for transport and preparation of vehicles. Your dealer is your main point of contact for all information regarding delivery.
Widescape Demo Days
We managed to release a few units from the Port with the goal of using them as demonstrator units. We are excited to announce that we will have functional WS250 units in circulation over the next four weeks for customer test rides. More information on the Widescape Demo Days program will be shared with you in the coming days.
February 15, 2023
We would like to share an update with you regarding the current situation we are facing with Transport Canada.
Our main goal is to have a safe and compliant vehicle that we can deliver to you as soon as possible. To achieve this, we’ve amended our application for approval of the WS250 on February 9, 2023, after revising our occupant support system to satisfy Transport Canada standards.
Transport Canada officials are currently reviewing our revised application and should get back to us at any moment.
We appreciate your patience, understanding and trust in Widescape while we push to get vehicles delivered as soon as possible.
Crates containing WS250 snowmobiles currently at the Port of Montreal.
February 8, 2023
Winter is here and we know you can’t wait to get out and ride your WS250. We would like to share a quick update with you regarding delivery of vehicles.
Let’s start with the good news – all demos and most of the pre-order units have arrived at the Port of Montreal and more are on the way. However, the importation of our vehicles is being denied by Transport Canada, despite the fact that we meet all of the pre-clearance requirements.
Our innovative design meets all safety requirements, and is strongly supported by industry experts, including one of the founding members of the Snowmobile Safety Certification Committee (SSCC).
We are currently in discussion with officials at Transport Canada, and with the Office of the Minister of Transport, to find a viable solution and get units shipped out to our dealers and delivered to customers as quickly as possible. Our objective is to work with Transport Canada to find a solution in the coming days.
We will keep you updated as the situation evolves. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to your local Widescape dealer.
We appreciate your patience, understanding and trust in Widescape while we do everything in our power to get this situation resolved.
FAQ
Always ride the WS250 in the correct riding position, as explained in the Owner’s Manual.
- Transport Canada has identified subsections of certain standards for which we are required to submit additional documentation for proof of compliance;
- This is a minor setback as our team will be able to quickly turn around and submit the required documentation;
Widescape will send the additional proof of compliance for these standards by March 3, 2023; - We are hoping for a quick return from Transport Canada and we anticipate the release of units by mid-March.
- Widescape has been in discussion with Transport Canada regarding the approval of the WS250 for almost 2 years;
- 10 months ago, Widescape hired an industry expert and one of the founding members of the SSCC to ensure all requirements were met throughout the application process;
- The request was sent in a timely manner with the goal of receiving approval from Transport Canada for the importation of the WS250 into Canada prior to the arrival of the first containers;
- The refusal of our application was unexpected, as we had confirmation from one of the persons responsible for creating the laws and standards of the SSCC that our vehicle met all standards as required by Transport Canada. The situation stems from an unexpected disagreement on the interpretation of the term “occupant support system”, as well as the unexpected need to submit additional proof of compliance on certain standards.
We are hoping to obtain clearance to release vehicles by Mid-March, which means dealers should start to deliver units by the end of March. This timeline is estimated based on the information we have on hand at the moment and is subject to change.
As inventories and delivery schedules are managed by each dealership, we invite you to contact your dealer directly to get a more accurate delivery date.
- You can get a refund on your deposit if you wish but please note you will no longer have priority of delivery at the price indicated on your contract;
- If you wish to get refunded for your pre-order, please contact your Widescape dealer.
The current situation is most likely to impact the initial delivery of vehicles. All dealers’ inventories should be delivered as planned by the end of April 2023. As inventories and delivery schedules are managed by each dealership, we invite you to contact your dealer directly to get a more accurate delivery date.
We managed to release a few units from the Port with the goal of using them as demonstrator units. We are excited to announce that we will have functional WS250 units in circulation over the next four weeks for customer test rides. More information on the Widescape Demo Days program will be shared with you in the coming days.
Please contact [email protected] for any additional questions or concerns with regards to deliveries.
